Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Begin said on Wednesday that the army "declared war on Palestinian terrorism in the West Bank."

Katz accompanied the Israeli army forces operating in and around the camp to see the progress of the military operation against Palestinian militants there.

He added in a statement from Jenin, where he accompanied the army forces, that "after completing the operation, our forces will remain in the camp to ensure that terrorism does not return."

Katz stressed that "we must work with all our might until we reach a situation in which terrorism will not return to this camp when our operation ends."